Window coverings, such as shades or blinds, typically have a horizontal or vertical covering to prevent sunlight from entering an area and to retain privacy. The covering, which is commonly in the form of slats or pleats, can hang vertically in the case of a vertical covering, or can extend horizontally from a headrail in the case of a horizontal covering. Many window coverings also include a bottom rail as well.
Typically in order to raise and lower the bottom rail relative to the floor, a looped cord extends from a point along the bottom rail through the slats and into the headrail. Two or more cords are often provided to raise or lower the window covering evenly. The window covering is raised or lowered by pulling or releasing the accessible portion of the cords. Inventions directed to minimizing or eliminating the possibility of entanglement in the cord by passing the cord through structures such as tapes or loops affixed to the shade are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Application Publications 2011/0132555 and 2011/0186242. However, such structures and their manner of attachment to the shade can impede normal movement of the lifting cord, thereby resulting in stiff operation. Also, such shades can be time-consuming and costly to manufacture. There is therefore still a need for improved shades that reduce the danger of cord entanglement.